Fire-escape.



A. H. BORDEN.

PIRE ESCAPE.

y APPLIUATION FILED 00T.14.1909. 990,029. 'Patented Apr. 18, 1911.`

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A. H. BORDEN.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED O0T.14. 1909. 990,029. Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

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. New Bedford, in the county off Bristol and and adjacent one edge, are arranged ARTHUR H. BORDEN, 0F NEXV BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-'ESCAPE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 19111.

Application led October 14, 1909. Serial No. 522,518.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. Bouman, N, Ti H lt a citi/.eu o1 the linlted htates. lesa lng a State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-llscapes, ot' which the following is a speeitieation.

The invention relates to an improvement in fire escapes, being particularly directed to a device by which a person can be lowered with safety from a window or other elevation to the ground, the lowering element being automatically rewound for subsequent use.

The main objectof the present invention is the provision of a re escape 'including a lowering element such as a cable which, under the weight of a person, is designed to be gradually lowered and to be auto1natically controlled during such movement by the braking mechanism, the lowering of the cable serving to operate a spring resetting mechanism adapted upon the release of the cable from the Weight of the user to auto-- matically rewind the cable to original posi tion.

The invention in its preferred details of construction will be'y described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, 1n which 'Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the improved tire lscape, a portion ofthe building being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionthrough the tire escape. Fig. is an end elevation of the fire escape mechanism, the Casing being shown in section. Fig. f1 is a similar view from the opposite end of the mechanism.

I' Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, the improved fire escape comprises a base 1 on which, at spaced intervals uprights 2 formedat the upper end with bearings 3 for the reception of a main shaft 1. On` the shaft between the bearings is arranged a drum 5 having a` lowering element such as a cable 6 wound thereon, one end of Athe cable being secured to the drum and the opposing end projecting through an opening in the base and provided with an enlarged eye 7. Wountedloosel y upon the shaft 4t beyond'one end of the drum is a gear S and s e cured upon the shaft adjacent the gear Vis a ratchet 9 designed to be engaged by a 4pawl l0 carried by vthe gear 8, so that when ,the conditions,

shaft permits the latter to move indepenfb ent of the gear.- Mounted in additional uprights 11 and 12 is a shaft 13 carrying a pinion 1-t to mesh with the gearS and a gear l5 rotating with the pinion, said gear and pinion being fixed to the shaft. In longi tudinal alinement with the shaft 13 is arranged a shaft 1G of the resetting mechanism also mounted in uprights 17. The shaft 16 is tixed against rotation and has loosely mounted thereon a gear 1S designed to mesh with the pinion 19 fixed to the proximate end of the drum, a spring 20 being coiled about the shaft and havin one end fixed to the upright below the shaft and opposing end secured to the gear. The spring is arranged so that under the influence of the drum in movement incident to the unwinding of the cable the spring will be wound or tensioned. t

Beyond the resetting mechanism the base 1 is provided with uprights 21 in which is mounted a shaft 22 carrying a pinion 23 designed to mesh with the gear 15 with the etl'ect to rotate the shaft 22. An upright 23 is provided -beyond the end of the shaft 22 in which is xed a stub shaft 24 carrying a disk head 25 designed to seat within a cup member 26 secured upon the end of the shaft 22. Brake shoes 2T are slidably arranged at diametrically opposing points on the disk head 25, said shoes being designed to cooperate with the inner surface of the cup member 2li. The shoes are connected by toggle levers 28 with a governor rod 29 slid ably .mounted in the shaft 22 and projecting beyond Athe end of the same, heilig terminally provided with a disk 30.

A `governor mechanism is mounted on the shaft 22 including a ring 31 secured upon theshaft adjacent the end in which is pivotally supported levers 32 having the usuall sitioned. under the influence of the spring 3G coiled about the shaft, that the levers 32 are normally held so as to exert no pressure `upon the disk 30.` '.l`herefore. under normal the brake shoes 27 are practically A eeopee of contact With the cup memoei 26,

which the position, of course, of the mini* inn m Braking effect.

The apparatus described is designed to loe f in the person suspended tifom tne eeniewill be lowered to the lnnt of the coole i obvious manner, the rotation o1" the cchenism described to operate the gover-v `vi with the elect to brake the i'evolntonr-s the shaft 29; and thereby prevent excesi- 've speed of the cabi@ as will he obvious. 'il'pon the disconnection oit the ringjt'romdthe belt oi* other support, the spring 20 which, as previously stated, has been Wound during the lowering of the cable `will operate to draw the cable to normal position, rendering it' instantly available fon the next user. Dining the rewnding of the cablethe pawl 10 permits movement of the shaft ind'ependent; of the governor mechanism, hence the re- Winding is much more rapid than the lower- Iin movement, iendeing the device aveilehe oncontinued use with a comparatively small delay.

The. 1

um serving; thongh the connections und .ineinhci, breite shoes slidehiy mounted i The device is to he constructed in i substantial manner capable of standing the maximum Weight to which such a structure may be subjected and is, oi course, to be eiienged invsueh convenient. position and numbersns will thoroughly safeguard the build" ing or othei structure in. the n'uinhei' of occupants.

Having thus described the invention, what claim as new iszl' In a ie escnlle, the combination with a5 drum shaft, ot' e governor 'mechanism for controlling seid shaft, n stub shaft intermediate seid'di'nln Shaft and governoi meehenisin foi' trnnsniitting motion from the diun'i shaft to the gevel-noi' mechanism npc-n the moven'ent oiI the dinm shaft inone direcu 'tion`r e resetting mechanism for ssi-id drum shaft, the sui/d governor mechanism conpising); en opcmting shaft, e cup member mounted upon one end of seid shaft, e, stno `shaft mounted in nlinclnent with seid gov cinoi opexntinn' shaft, e disk mounted upon f) shzltt :nio tiltingl within sin-el ein] `:on the 'tace olf Suid disk and e` 'brake o "L-1'n.iii shoi't mounted in und ion. sildl nhle of ssi-d governor operating" sh: 'u mierehy said binke shoes are caused to the i TTB inner sui-tace of the cup member and 'therebyietard the too rapid movement of the drum shaft. y

In testimony whereof l a in presence of two witnesse i Witnesses ziccoidence [with 'l y 

